CN1112907C - Refastenable adhesive fastening systems for individually packaged disposable absorbent articles - Google Patents

Abstract

An individual absorbent article package, such as a sanitary napkin wrapper and an adhesive fastening system for such a wrapper are disclosed. The adhesive fastening system comprises a tape tab having an adhesive for releasably securing the wrapper and sanitary napkin in a folded configuration prior to and after use. The adhesive is adhered to a landing surface such as a portion of the sanitary napkin wrapper that forms part of the package body. The landing surface need not be reinforced to prevent tearing upon opening of the package. The fastening system provides bond security while at the same time making the fastening system easy to open without tearing by carefully matching of the properties of the adhesive, the tape tab, and the landing surface. The surface characteristics, elasticity modulus, and caliper of the landing surface are specified. The agressiveness (quick-stick) and coating weights of the adhesive are carefully selected to provide an adhesive fastening system that bonds easily, holds securely and is refastenable.

Description

Refastenable adhesive fastening devices for single-pack disposable absorbent articles

technical field

The present invention relates to adhesive fastening devices for individually packaging single-use absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins and adult incontinence products, and more particularly to a refastenable adhesive fastener Fastening device, which is easy to combine, firmly fixed and easy to open, does not need to tear the package when it is fastened repeatedly, even if the package is made of low-thickness polyethylene film that does not have tear resistance.

Background technique

Sanitary napkins and adult incontinence articles for collecting vaginal discharges are well known in the art. Various methods of individually packaging such absorbent articles are also known in the prior art.

Individually packaged sanitary napkins are disclosed in US Pat. No. 3,973,567 (inventor Srinivasan et al.) European Patent Application No. 0357000A1 (inventor Umesh) published on December 7 and US Patent 4,556,146 (inventor Swanson et al.) issued December 3, 1985. The Swanson et al. patent discloses a triple folded package for sanitary napkins, the rear outwardly facing surface of which is covered with an adhesive material, which is also useful for disposing of used sanitary napkins.

Other triple-fold structures are known, such as in U.S. Patent 3,604,423 issued September 14, 1971 (inventor Fraster), International Patent Application WO89/02728 published April 6, 1989 (inventor Froidh et al.) in this structure. In the prior art, there are also teachings that used sanitary napkins are packaged in packaging and discarded. For example, International Patent Application WO89/02729 (inventor Pigeul) published on April 6, 1989 and U.S. Patent 4,608,047 (inventor Mattingly) issued on August 26, 1986, etc. disclose two kinds of packaging structures for this purpose .

However, the search continues for improved, individual packages for disposable absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins, particularly refastenable fastening devices that meet all of the desired criteria. Still going on.

For example, the design of an adhesive fastening device for a single disposable absorbent article has focused on two main and mutually opposing criteria: adhesive strength and refastenability. These are the two goals of the adhesive fastening device, namely strong bond security (keep the package bonded until it is desired to open the package to remove the absorbent article), and to dispose of the package after use. The tape can be removed non-destructively when the absorbent article inside the bag is opened and the refastenable fastener is opened.

It is generally believed that the force with which the pressure sensitive adhesive tape is peeled from the liner is one of the most important factors in determining how well an adhesive fastening device will actually work. The peel force performance shows that higher peel force increases the bond security of the fastening device while also making it more difficult to remove the article to which the adhesive material is applied (ie, the engaging surface or fastener) without tearing. Therefore, in order to obtain the best bond firmness and refastenability. Early technical solutions focused efforts to improve adhesive fastening devices on balancing peel forces. A major aspect of improvement measures has focused on adjusting the component characteristics of the adhesive fastening device. In particular, the tensile strength (tear strength) of the joining surface (typically the unreinforced packaging material) is increased so that the packaging material can withstand the higher tensile stresses caused by tape removal. But such packaging materials are generally hard, noisy, expensive, and are a severe burden (requires more material) on the source of the material and on the protection of the environment. In other attempts, the properties of the tape have been adjusted to increase the contact area and reduce the peel force so that it does not exceed the strength of the packaging material. These devices are expensive and inconvenient, and the bond is not strong when light applied pressure is applied.

Since the adhesive fastening device is required to have a high bond firmness to allow it to be rotated on the wrapper of the individually wrapped absorbent article, it is necessary to make the wrapper stronger to avoid tearing the wrapper . This higher strength is obtained by increasing the thickness of the wrapper, or by laminating additional material to the inside and outside of the wrapper in the fastening area, etc.

Contents of the invention

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a refastenable fastening device for wrappers for individually packaged absorbent articles, such as sanitary napkins. Another object of the present invention is to provide an individually packaged sanitary napkin which is easy for the user to open. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an individually packaged sanitary napkin having packaging material that can be used to dispose of the used article. A final object of the present invention is to provide improved closure mechanisms for maintaining packages in a closed structure for easy disposal.

An individually packaged absorbent article of the present invention comprising:

an absorbent article having a body-facing side, a garment-facing side, two longitudinal sides, and two transverse sides, said absorbent article having an adhesive patch on said garment-facing side;

a releasable wrapper releasably adhered to the adhesive patch on the garment side, said wrapper being folded about at least two transverse axes to form a package body and a package flap;

an adhesive tape fastening means for fastening said package flap to said package body, said tape fastening means comprising

a) an adhesive tape tab having a first part attached to said package flap and a second part detachably fastened to said package body, said second part comprising a buckle with adhesive tight surface;

b) an engaging surface on said package to which the fastening surface of said tape tab is adhered, said package comprising a layer at said engaging surface of a nominal average thickness of about 0.020 mm Film between and about 0.036mm;

wherein the tape fastening component has a dynamic shear strength of greater than about 900 g/cm.

The unique feature of the tape fastening member of the present invention is that a single adhesive material can be used to securely attach the first part to the package flap (i.e., substantially permanently) as long as the package flap and package body are made of the same material. Sexual connection) can be used to detachably connect the second part to the engaging surface of the package. The portion of the package flap to which the tape tab is attached is preferably corona-discharged prior to attaching the tab to that portion of the package flap to further improve the bond between the first portion of the tape tab and the package flap. durability of the bond. Any conventional corona discharge treatment method can be used for this purpose. However, it is by no means considered that corona discharge treatment is known for carrying out the invention in the manner described above.

The tape fastening component of the present invention improves the firmness of the bond, and at the same time, through careful comparison and optimal selection of the characteristics of the adhesive tape and the joint (film envelope), it can be more easily removed from thin polyethylene without tearing. Remove the adhesive tape from the film. By comparing the physical properties of the tape, its backing material, and the film envelope to determine the optimum properties to select, the adhesive fastening components can be obtained without the use of special reinforcing materials or components and without sacrificing bond firmness Ideal repeated snapability.

Testing of the adhesive properties of the adhesive when it is subjected to unrolling stress in a package containing sanitary napkins for disposal and most realistically simulating a wide range of design, environmental and consumer variations is a driving force Shear test. Dynamic shear testing measures the strength of an adhesive under constant force and before failure in a shear model. The results of the dynamic shear tests under typical conditions only show a good correlation with the service characteristics. Therefore, after testing, it was found that the dynamic shear strength of the adhesive fastening device should be greater than 900 g/cm under the test conditions described below.

In another aspect of the fastening component of the present invention, adhesive strength and refastenability are enhanced by providing a joining element with certain defined surface characteristics. The attachment surface of the joint is textured such that the surface has a surface roughness with an average leveled depth of between about 2 microns and about 20 microns. These surface characteristics enhance the adhesive security of the adhesive fastening device.

When the fastening device is under stress while the used sanitary napkin is held in the package for disposal, the tape and fasteners stretch under load. If their elongation properties differ too much, stress can be transferred to the adhesive, causing peel forces, which in turn can cause premature failure of the adhesive. If the tape and joint have similar elongation or stretch characteristics, the stress imparted to the adhesive is minimized and the adhesive tends to remain in a more cohesive, no-shear state.

Therefore, it has been found in the present invention that the Young's modulus (modulus of elasticity) of the joint should be increased to more closely match that of the adhesive tape (by a factor of at least in the range of about 2 or 3). Therefore, to withstand higher stresses at greater elongation, the Young's modulus (modulus of elasticity) of the joint and film envelope is preferably greater than about 175 N/mm ² .

The tack attack (snap stick) to the joint determines the bond strength of the fastening device after light pressure. This tack attack needs to be controlled to maximize bond strength while also minimizing the energy transferred to the joint when the package is opened, especially when the tape is jerked apart. Accordingly, the adhesive preferably has a snap-off force of greater than about 35 g/cm.

The increased bond strength and refastenability of adhesive fastening devices can be achieved without the use of reinforced joints (which reduces cost and improves the fastening device's resilience to environmental shocks), At the same time, only a minimum of materials must be used (which also reduces costs and improves ease of use and aesthetics). The adhesive coat weight can be relatively small, preferably less than 22 g/m ² . In addition, film envelopes that do not require reinforcement may have a lower calculated thickness (nominal average thickness) of between about 0.02 mm (0.8 mil) and about 0.036 mm (1.4 mils).

The present invention can be better understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts have been given like numerals.

Description of drawings

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of a folded sanitary napkin and separable wrapper of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the wrapper and sanitary napkin in a partial triple folded configuration;

Figure 4 is the sanitary napkin and wrapper shown in Figure 2 in a fully triple folded configuration.

Figures 5-7 are perspective views similar to Figure 3 of the sanitary napkin showing possible locations of the flaps on the separable wrapper.

Detailed ways

The present invention relates to adhesive fastening devices for use in wrappers for individual packaging of disposable absorbent articles such as sanitary napkins and adult incontinence products. The fastening device is shown in one preferred application, but it should be understood that the fastening device has wider application and is not limited to use in a particular type of packaging.

As shown in Figure 1, the present invention is described in conjunction with a package containing a disposable absorbent article, in particular a sanitary napkin 20. The sanitary napkin 20 is used to collect vaginal discharges, such as menstruation, and the like, and to prevent such discharges from soiling the wearer's clothing. The sanitary napkin 20 has a body-facing side or surface 20a and an opposite garment-facing side or surface 20b. The sanitary napkin 20 features a liquid permeable topsheet 22, a liquid impermeable backsheet 24 and an absorbent core 26 positioned between the topsheet 22 and the backsheet. The perimeter of the sanitary napkin 20 is defined by two longitudinal sides (or "side edges") 30 and two transverse sides (or "end edges") 30 and two transverse sides (or "end edges" or "ends") 32 poses.

If desired, the sanitary napkin 20 may also include at least one flap 28 extending from the longitudinal side 30 of the sanitary napkin 20, preferably two symmetrical and opposed flaps 28 formed from the sanitary napkin. Each longitudinal side 30 of 20 extends.

The sanitary napkin 20 is laid on the detachable wrapper 34 . A releasable wrapper 34 is placed lowermost and releasably adhered to the outwardly facing surface of the backsheet 24 (ie, the garment side 20b of the sanitary napkin 20). As used herein, "detachably adhered" refers to a state where two or more parts are connected and separated without damaging or unduly deforming one of the parts. The separable wrapper 34 is preferably slightly larger than the sanitary napkin 20 by virtue of forming the longitudinal sides 30 and the transverse sides 32 .

The combination of the sanitary napkin 20 and the flaps 28 is accomplished by means 40 of attaching the sanitary napkin 20 to the wearer's undergarment. In particular, each flap 28 may have its own adhesive patch 40b; this patch is connected to the surface of the flap 28 and contacts the wearer's underwear, the central portion of the sanitary napkin 20 laterally between the flaps 28 has an adhesive portion 40a, which is provided on the portion of the sanitary napkin which contacts the wearer's undergarment. Both of these adhesive fastening elements 40a and 40b are preferably located on the outwardly facing surface of the rear panel 24 .

The detachable wrapper 34 contacts the adhesive portion 40a of the central portion of the rear panel 24 and, if desired, the adhesive portion 40b of the flap 28 . As used herein, "separable" refers to the condition that a first part can be separated from a second part at least once without one of the parts being damaged or unduly deformed. The detachable wrapper 34 prevents the wearer from soiling the adhesive portion 40 prior to first use. Additionally, the separable wrapper 34 provides protection to the sanitary napkin 20 when the napkin is triple folded inwardly and the separable wrapper 34 is exposed.

The various components of the sanitary napkin 20 will be analyzed in more detail with continued reference to FIG. 1 . The sanitary napkin 20 has a generally central longitudinal centerline 36 . "Longitudinal" as used herein refers to the imaginary line, axis or direction of the sanitary napkin 20, which is generally centrally located between the sides of the sanitary napkin and substantially equal to the The vertical planes of the left and right halves coincide. The term "transverse" refers to an imaginary line, axis or direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and within the plane of the sanitary napkin 20, substantially transversely centered relative to the wearer.

The topsheet 22 is the undergarment component oriented toward and in contact with the wearer's body to receive bodily exudates. The topsheet 22 is liquid permeable, should be flexible and non-irritating to the skin. The term "flexible" as used herein refers to a material that can change shape following and conforming to the shape of the body or is easily deformed under external force. The topsheet 22 is preferably silent so as not to embarrass the wearer. The topsheet 22 should appear hygienic, clean and substantially opaque to conceal the collection of bodily exudates absorbed within the core 26.

The topsheet 22 should further have good permeability and rewet characteristics so that body exudates can easily penetrate the topsheet 22 into the core 26, but should not flow back through the topsheet 22 onto the wearer's skin. A suitable topsheet 22 may be formed from a nonwoven porous polyolefin based film.

Topsheet 22 is provided with a plurality of micropores to allow fluid retained on the sheet to flow into core 26. The microperforations may also be present on the flap 28, but are not required. The microporous polyolefin film top sheet 22 has an open area of about 5% to 60%, generally about 25% open area, and the thickness before the hole is about 0.01 to 0.05 mm, and the thickness behind the hole is about 0.46 to 0.51 mm. suitable.

Topsheet 22 may be sprayed with a surfactant to enhance liquid penetration into core 26, if desired. Surfactants are generally non-ionic and non-irritating to the skin. The density of the surfactant used in the upper sheet 22 area is suitable to be 0.01 mg/cm ² . One suitable surfactant is Pegosperse 200ML active agent sold by Glyco Chemi-cal, Inc. of Greenwich, Connecticut.

A particularly suitable topsheet 22 can be manufactured in accordance with U.S. Patent No. 4,342,314 (inventor Radel et al.) issued August 3, 1982 and U.S. Patent No. 4,463,045 (inventor Ahr et al.) issued July 31, 1984, using In these patents it is best to refer to the object disclosed above to provide a topsheet with good liquid permeability. It has been found that a top sheet 22 made of perforated film type X-3265 or P1552 sold by the Visqueen Division of Ethyl Corporation of Terre Haute, Indiana works well.

The backsheet 24 can be made of any flexible, liquid-impermeable or liquid-repellent material, such as polyolefin films, etc., which prevents the collection and containment of excreta within the sanitary napkin 20, particularly from being absorbed by the core 26. Excreta seeps from the sanitary napkin 20 and stains the wearer's clothing and bed linen. The rear panel 24 is preferably silent so as not to embarrass the wearer.

The backsheet 24 can also be impermeable to the odorous gases emitted by bodily discharges, preventing the odor from escaping and being noticed by the wearer. It has been found that a low density polyethylene backsheet 24 having a thickness of about 0.01 to 0.05 mm, preferably 0.02 mm, works well. It has now been found that a polyethylene film sold by the Visqueen Division of Ethyl Corporation under the model number XP-39385 is particularly suitable for use in the present invention.

In addition, the backsheet 24 can be made of a soft cloth-like material that is more hydrophobic than the topsheet 22, such as polyester or polyolefin fibers, with good effect. A preferred soft cloth-like backsheet 24 material is a sheet of polyester nonwoven material and a uniaxially elastically extensible synthetic rubber film, such as US Patent 4,476,180 to Wnuk, hereinafter mentioned.

In a preferred embodiment, the backsheet 24 is slightly larger than the topsheet 22 and the central absorbent core 26 . In this embodiment, the topsheet 22 and the central absorbent core 26 are surrounded by a backsheet 24 with a radial edge of about 0.5 to 1.5 cm, preferably 1.0 cm (from the sides of the topsheet 22). live. This geometry provides protection to the edge region should the core 26 become overabsorbed or the sanitary napkin 20 should fail. In this embodiment the back panel 24 and flap 28 are preferably integral and coextensive.

The backsheet 24 and topsheet 22 are preferably joined peripherally using known techniques, either integrally so that the entire perimeter of the sanitary napkin 20 is wrapped and attached, or partially peripherally joined. Any overall configuration and manner of sandwiching the core 26 between the topsheet 22 and the backsheet 24 is suitable. This arrangement forms two opposite major surfaces, one formed by the top sheet 22 and the other formed by the rear sheet 24 .

The outwardly facing surface of the backsheet 24 also preferably includes means 40 for securing the sanitary napkin 20 to the wearer's undergarment. Pressure sensitive adhesive 40a has been found to be very effective. The strips 40a of longitudinal adhesive do a good job of preventing the front or back of the sanitary napkin 20 from separating from the wearer's undergarment. Strip 40a may be continuous or discontinuous. The preferred arrangement is to use two longitudinal strips 40a, one on either side of the longitudinal centerline 36.

The absorbent core 26 is the means for collecting and retaining bodily exudates, especially menses, by retaining the exudates within the core that would otherwise traverse the liquid permeable topsheet 22. The core 26 is the part of the sanitary napkin for receiving and retaining bodily exudates. The core 26 is comfortable and non-irritating to the skin, and is preferably relatively thin. Core 26 may be rectangular or water-glass shaped. Core 26 preferably has two opposing surfaces, one facing rear panel 24 and the other facing upper panel 22 .

Materials suitable for the core 26 include, but are not limited to, airliner-containing compositions such as cellulose wadding, fibrous mixed pulp; tissue layers; and absorbent gelling materials, and any known material used for this purpose. other materials.

The total absorbent capacity of the core 26 need not be much greater than the total volume of bodily exudates. The core 26 is preferably narrow and thin, which is comfortable for the wearer. For this embodiment, the core 26 should have a capacity to absorb at least about 2 grams of an aqueous solution containing 0.9% salt. A suitable saline solution is sold by Travenol Laboratories, Illinois.

If it is desired to incorporate absorbent gelling material into the core 26 of the sanitary napkin 20, then it is very convenient to use absorbent gelling material made according to U.S. Patent Re. Where applicable, the absorbent gelling material herein is introduced for reference and comparison. Suitable cores 26 include laminates of absorbent gelling material. Tissue paper is available from Grain Milling Company of Muscatine, Iowa under model no. L535.

The size of the core 26 should match the top piece 22 and the back piece 24. The core 26 is preferably placed between the topsheet 22 and the backsheet 24 to prevent the absorbent material of the core 26 from tearing or separating as the sanitary napkin 20 is worn and to ensure an appropriate amount of bodily discharges. This approach also provides a monolithic assembly.

The core 26 is preferably joined to the topsheet 22, and may also be joined to the backsheet 24. The term "engagement" refers to the state when a first element or component is directly bonded or connected to a second element or component; or indirectly a first element or component is first bonded or connected to an intermediate element or component, and the intermediate element or The state of a part when it is in turn connected to a second element or part. To prolong the useful life of the sanitary napkin 20, the engaged relationship between the first element or component and the second element or component should be maintained.

This joining can be accomplished by bonding the core 26 to either the topsheet 22 or the backsheet 24 using an adhesive. The adhesive (not shown) can be applied in any suitable spray pattern, for example in a spiral, or with a longitudinal spray slot. The adhesive should be surface activation resistant or low pressure sensitive so that it does not stick to the wearer's skin. Components of the sanitary napkin may also be joined by fusing components, for example, as described in US Patent Application Serial No. 07/810,774, filed December 17, 1991, to Gree et al. According to the measurement of the comparative measuring instrument, the thickness of the sanitary napkin 20 is preferably less than about 4mm, more preferably less than about 2mm. The test weight of this comparing measuring instrument is about 80.0 grams, the comparator foot is about 10 grams, and its diameter is about 80.0 grams. 2.54cm, the contact surface area is about 5.1cm ² . Additionally, the topsheet 22 of the sanitary napkin 20 preferably has a surface area of at least about 100 ^cm² to prevent expelled fluids from exiting the intended area.

The sanitary napkin 20 may also have a flap 28 extending from a longitudinal side of the sanitary napkin 20, preferably the flap 28 extends from a first longitudinal side 30 of the sanitary napkin 20. The flap 28 has a proximal end (or "proximal edge") 44 which generally coincides with the junction where the flap 28 is attached to the longitudinal side 30 of the sanitary napkin 20. Alternatively, the proximal end 44 of the flap 28 may be joined to the sanitary napkin 20 at another location that is remote from but juxtaposed with the longitudinal side 30 .

The flap 28 extends transversely outward from the sanitary napkin 20 and terminates in a distal end (or "tip") 46 , which is the portion of the flap 28 furthest from the longitudinal sides 30 of the sanitary napkin 20 . The ends 46 of the flaps 28 can be directed away from the longitudinal centerline 36 and the central portion of the sanitary napkin 20 . The phrase "central portion" as used herein refers to the middle portion of the sanitary napkin 20, particularly the transverse middle portion, and which is defined by the proximal end 44 of the flap 28. Flap 28 may be of any desired shape, a preferred shape being shown in FIG. 1 .

The flap 28 can be formed from the integral and continuous extension of the top panel 22, the back panel 24, or a laminate of the top panel 22 and the back panel 24. Alternatively, the flaps 28 may be formed from separate and independent sheets joined to the longitudinal sides 30 of the sanitary napkin 20 . Each flap 28 has a surface that is substantially coextensive with the top panel 22 and a surface that is substantially coextensive with the back panel 24 that is opposed to each other.

The flap 28 preferably has a feature 40 for attaching one surface of the flap 28 to the wearer's undergarment or to another flap 28 . The connecting member 40 may be a mechanical fastener, preferably a pressure sensitive adhesive 40b. If pressure sensitive adhesive 40b is selected, it should be provided on the surface of flap 28 that is substantially coextensive with back panel 24. Thus, when the flaps 28 are folded around the crotch of the wearer's undergarment, the adhesive 40b will face the outside of the wearer's undergarment. In general, a rectangular patch of adhesive 40b on each flap 28 having dimensions of about 38mm x 19mm is convenient. A suitable pressure sensitive adhesive 40 is sold by Anchor Contineutal, Inc., a 3Sigma Division of Covington, Ohio, in 0.02 mm thick, model number Century Adhesives A305-4.

When packaged, the flap 28 is folded over over the topsheet 22 so that the flap 28 is in the relationship shown in FIG. 2 facing the topsheet. A flap 28 is considered to be in facing relationship to the topsheet if a line drawn outwardly from the topsheet 22 substantially perpendicular to the plane of the sanitary napkin 20 intersects a surface of the flap 28. Flap 28 is preferably folded about proximal edge 44 to maximize the area covering topsheet 22. This structure enables the flap 28 to cover a large area of the top piece 22, especially the top piece 22 area substantially aligned with the wearer's vagina, so it is suggested that the appearance of this part of the top piece 22 be kept hygienic and clean. . The flap 28 does not have to be folded around the proximal end 44, the flap 28 need not be in contacting relationship with the upper panel 22, or there may be other folds between the distal end 46 and the proximal end 44 of the upper panel 28. It is only necessary that the flap 28 should face the topsheet 22 and that dirt cannot easily stain that part of the topsheet 22 covered by the flap 28 .

The flap 28 is folded in the configuration of FIG. 2 with the patch 40b of adhesive facing the surface of the flap 28 that is substantially coextensive with the rear panel 24. To mask the adhesive patch 40b from soiling, each flap 28 can be covered with a separate dedicated release liner. In a preferred embodiment, the patch of adhesive 40b may be covered with a single piece release liner forming a bridge from one flap to the other.

However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the flaps 28 may be folded over to cover the rear panel 24, or folded in a spiral manner so that one flap 28 covers the top panel 22 and the other flap 28 covers the rear panel 24. .

The separable envelope (or "wrap") 34 has a perimeter defined by longitudinal and transverse sides. The lateral edges of the separable wrapper 34 preferably extend outwardly beyond the corresponding lateral sides 32 of the sanitary napkin 20. This construction provides the separable wrapper 34 with a sufficient longitudinal length to cover and protect the sanitary napkin 20 folded in a folded shape as will be described later.

The envelope 34 has two opposing surfaces. One surface is the inwardly facing surface which faces the adhesive 40 and the outwardly facing surface of the backsheet 24 . The other surface is an outwardly facing surface opposite the inwardly facing surface, which surface is oriented away from the sanitary napkin 20 .

The inner facing surface is preferably coated with a non-stick coating, so that the detachable envelope is easy and convenient to handle, especially when detaching from the adhesive 40 . Silicone anti-sticking coatings in the prior art have a better effect. The releasable wrapper 34 may be partially coated with a release coating only in the areas where the adhesives 40a and 40b are present, or may be coated with a release coating over the entire inwardly facing surface as desired.

The separable wrapper 34 may be made from one or more pieces of material. For example, the wrapper 34 may be of the two-part construction described above comprising the wrapper 34 using conventional release tape to cover the adhesive 40a attached to the inwardly facing surface of the wrapper 34 . However, the releasable wrapper 34 preferably consists of a single piece which both covers the adhesive 40a and which is used to wrap the sanitary napkin 20.

The separable wrapper 34 can be made of film, kraft paper, calendered paper or other materials known in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention. A preferred separable wrapper 34 is made of machine glazed or machine gloss paper having a basis weight of approximately 40.7 x 10 ^-3 Kg/m ² (25 lbs. per 3000 square feet). The inner facing surface of the envelope can be coated with a non-stick coating like silicone. Silox 4R/O and Silox C/S release coatings sold by Akrosil of Me-nbsha, Wisconsin are suitable. However, the separable wrapper 34 used in the present invention is preferably made of a film.

The releasable wrapper 34 is preferably a flexible polyethylene film. The term "polyethylene" film is used herein to mean a film which is essentially polyethylene, but it is understood that polyethylene films may contain Various additives, that is to say, in addition to polyethylene, small amounts of other substances can be added to the film in order to obtain the above-mentioned properties. The total amount of additives should be less than 45%, preferably less than 15% by weight of the film material. Especially for the opacity of the film, titanium oxide is generally used in an amount in the range of 5-9%, preferably 6.8-7.8% by weight of the film. A typical film used in the present invention as the releasable wrapper 34 is made by Tredegar Industries, Inc. of Terre Haute, Indiana under the designation X-9068. The releasable cover 34 is preferably textured as described below to increase the performance of the fastening device and to provide a more aesthetic appearance. The detachable wrapper may also be a biodegradable film, such as in co-pending application entitled "Disposable Absorbent Article with Biodegradable Backsheet" (Inventors Toms and Wnuk), filing date is the film disclosed in US Patent Application Serial No. 07/721,066, filed June 26,1991.

The longitudinal edge portions of the separable wrapper 34 can be folded in a C shape around the longitudinal sides 30 of the sanitary napkin 20 (as shown), or they can also extend outwardly so as to seal the package over the separable wrapper 34. A certain area is set aside, as shown in US Patent No. 4,556,146 to Swanson. These two structures all have following advantage, and promptly whole major surface, the surface that is connected with rear sheet 24 is protected by detachable envelope 34, and the longitudinal side 30 of sanitary napkin 20 is also protected, and the top sheet 22 A part is also incidentally protected by a detachable envelope 34 .

As shown in Figure 3, the sanitary napkin 20 and separable wrapper 34 are foldable about spaced apart transverse fold lines. As used herein, the phrase "spaced apart transverse fold lines" refers to longitudinal slanted lines, generally parallel to the transverse direction, about which the sanitary napkin 20 and releasable wrapper 34 are folded.

Folding the sanitary napkin 20 about spaced apart transverse fold lines creates a folded structure comprising three thirds, with a central third 51 in the middle and an outer third 52 on either side. The lateral trisection 52 may be described more specifically as the medial-lateral trisection 52a and the lateral-lateral trisection 52b, or more simply as the first and third trisections. Thus, the central triad constitutes the second triad. The inner and outer outer three-sections 52 referred to above are relative to the central three-section 51 when the sanitary napkin 20 and separable wrapper 34 are folded in the manner shown in FIG. When folded, the inside-outside three-section 52a is generally adjacent to the central three-section 51 and is between the central three-section 51 and the outside-outside three-section 52b. Conversely, the outer-outer three-section 52b is farther away from the central three-section 51 due to the interposition of the inner-outer three-section 52a.

In the folded configuration of FIG. 4 , the wrapper forms two mutually opposite main surfaces, one of which is formed by the outer-outer three-section 52 b and the other by the central three-section 51 . The arrangement of Figure 4 allows the sanitary napkin 20 to form an e-fold, while the releasable wrapper 34 forms a corresponding e-fold. The separable wrapper 34 preferably has sufficient longitudinal dimension to cover an outer three-section 52 and a central three-section 51 . More preferably, the separable envelope 34 has sufficient longitudinal dimension to cover all three three-sections 51 and 52 so that the adhesive is not exposed.

Returning now to FIG. 1, the separable wrapper 34 may further include a component that secures the sanitary napkin 20 and the separable wrapper 34 in the folded manner described above. Means suitable for retaining the folded shape include hook and loop mechanical fasteners such as those sold under the tradename Velcro, adhesive strips as described in the prior art, or alternatively with the longitudinal edges of the detachable envelope 34. juxtaposed adhesive 54 .

In the latter embodiment shown in the figures, the adhesive 54 is located on the longitudinal edge of the detachable envelope, which covers the upper sheet 22 and faces in the direction of the outer side of the upper sheet 22 . In one embodiment, adhesive 54 may also be attached to outer three-section 52 so that when inner-outer three-section 52a is folded over central three-section 51, three-sections 50 and 52a are aligned with each other. are releasably bonded together, and the adhesive is juxtaposed with the outer-outer three-section 52b so that it can be releasably adhered to the inner-outer three-section 52a. Additionally, adhesive 54 may be applied to the central and outer-outer three-sections 50 and 52b.

In the present invention, the adhesive 54 is preferably located on the part of the separable wrapper 34 that forms the package flap and is secured to another part of the wrapper that makes up the package.

Adhesive 54 may be applied to a continuous strip (as shown), an intermittent strip or also in individual spots. The form of adhesive application 54 is unimportant, all that matters is that the adhesive has sufficient peel strength to remain folded until the wearer uses it for the first time and wants to open the sanitary napkin 20 and the separable wrapper 34 easily hour. The adhesive adheres tightly to the wrapper film when the wrapper is used to dispose of used sanitary napkins.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the adhesive is disposed on a tab (preferably a strip tab) 55 which extends longitudinally beyond the lateral edge of an outer outer three-section 52a. Adhesive 54 on strip tab 55 does not extend longitudinally beyond this lateral edge, and it adheres to the exposed surface of an outer, outer three-section 52b.

An integral part of the fastening means includes a tab 55 which preferably comprises a piece of adhesive tape. Tab or tape 55 has a first portion 55a and a second portion 55b. The first and second parts can be configured in several different ways. For example, they could be separate components attached to tab 55, and so on. Preferably, however, the first and second portions are continuous portions of tab 55 .

The first portion of the strap tab 55 is preferably securely attached to the first surface of the wrapper during manufacture of the wrapper to which the strap tab is attached. Therefore, the first part may also be referred to as a "fixed end". In this case, the first surface 34' is a portion of the lateral edge (or end edge) of the envelope 34 adjacent the third three-section 52b.

The second portion 55b of the tape 55 extends outwardly beyond the end of the first surface 34'. The second part serves at least two main purposes. The second part can be detachably adhered to the joint 34 or the second surface 34″. When the user wants to open and close the package (in other words, when the user wants to unfasten or fasten the two surface) can also hold the second part by hand. Therefore, the second part can also be called "tab part", "user part" or "user end".

Preferably, a grip tab is provided on the distal edge of the strap second portion 55b. For example, the handle tab may be formed by a folded portion of the fastening surface 54 at the laterally outboard end of its connecting end. The width of the grip tab is suitably between 2mm and 8mm, preferably about 6mm. The grip tab can also consist of a distal edge that is not covered by adhesive.

The strip tab 55 comprises a strip of backing material, which may be any backing material known in the art. For example, polyester film, polypropylene film, paper backing or other materials with required strength that can be used as part of the tape tab 55 are suitable for use as a tape substrate material, and these materials should be available before using the sanitary napkin. Keep the releasable wrapper folded and keep the wrapper folded while the sanitary napkin is being disposed of. It has been found that a strip substrate material made of polypropylene film having a thickness of about 0.15 mm works most satisfactorily.

The tape tab has a fastening surface 54 having an adhesive layer applied to the tape backing material. (The term "coating" as used herein is not limited to any one particular technique or method for applying adhesive to the backing tape). The fastening device may utilize any suitable adhesive that provides dynamic shear strength, rapid bonding, release from the joint, and coat weight characteristics. The composition of the adhesive is not as important as the properties of the overall tape device (as discussed below). For example, the adhesive can be a hot melt adhesive that can be applied to the tape substrate using known hot melt coating techniques, such as by slot coating. Alternatively, the adhesive can be applied using a solvent coating process. The adhesive is preferably an elastomeric pressure sensitive adhesive. Particularly suitable such adhesive materials are adhesive rubber elastomers. As described below, the adhesive provides the enhanced properties described above with good dynamic shear strength, fast adhesion values, releasability, and low coat weight. An adhesive designated XPF-0115, manufactured by the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company of St. Paul, Minnesota, has been found to provide satisfactory performance for the fastening device of the present invention in accordance with the requirements of the present invention.

Attachment of the fixed end 55a of the strap tab 55 to the outer three-section 52b may be done mechanically or preferably by adhesive means. In a preferred embodiment, the entire width of the tape backing of the tape tab 55 is covered with an adhesive layer. Thus, this adhesive not only provides an exposed fastening component located at the "user's end" on the inside-outside three-section 52a, but also securely connects the strap tab 55 to the outside-outside three-section Fixed end 55a of segment 52b.

The adhesive tape fastening device also includes an engaging member (or "engaging surface"). In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the joint comprises at least a portion of an unreinforced separable envelope 34 . The sticky surface of the joining member (generally the same surface as the outer surface of the wrapper 34) is to hold the strip tab 55 when the separable wrapper 34 is kept in the folded state to form a wrapper around the sanitary napkin before or after using the sanitary napkin. The surface to which the adhesive can be repeatedly fastened.

The characteristics of the overall fastening device, including the characteristics of the adhesive on the tape tab and the characteristics of the fasteners, are important design factors in the performance of the adhesive fastening device of the present invention. Fastening devices for single-pack single-use absorbent articles shall have an adhesive force that allows the wearer to open and remove the absorbent article for use without damaging or damaging the engaging surface, and shall also Has an adhesive force that can be refastened under light pressure (the pressure that securely secures the package when the used absorbent article is to be disposed of).

These measures can resolve the conflicting environmental and economical needs to reduce the materials used and the cost of fastening devices. Peel strength, dynamic shear strength of cohesive fastening devices, fast-bonding properties of adhesives, and envelope films The surface properties and so on are important parameters.

In determining the releasability of an adhesive fastening device, we have found that the peel strength of the adhesive is an important parameter. The peel strength of the adhesive can be measured. How easy it is to remove the adhesive from the joining surface. The peel strength should be high enough to maintain the sanitary napkin in its folded configuration, but not so high that it exceeds the tensile strength of the fasteners for good refastenability of the fasteners. The peel strength of the adhesive used in the present invention is preferably between 100 g/cm and 600 g/cm, most preferably between 100 g/cm and 400 g/cm.

The peel strength of the adhesive specified in the present invention is measured by applying the adhesive surface of a strip tab having a width of 10 mm to the bonding surface on the wrapping film. Pressure was applied to the ribbon tab using a roller weighing 1,334 grams (2.5 pounds) running at a constant speed of 25.4 millimeters per second (1 inch per second). The longitudinal direction of the sample is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the envelope film. The apparatus for determining the dynamic shear strength can be any commercially available tensile testing machine with a constant rate of grip separation. The Model 570 Mobile Tensile Tester sold by EME Inc. of Newbury, Ohio is particularly useful. The initial clamping distance is fixed at 50.8 mm. The test speed is fixed at 508 mm/min.

The peel strength is the maximum force required to remove the tape from the joint when the tape is peeled at a 90 degree angle.

The dynamic shear strength of an adhesive fastening device can be used to reliably predict how secure the bond will be in use. The purpose of the dynamic shear test is to measure the strength required to fail an adhesive bond at a given shear model stress (ie, dynamic strength). Therefore, dynamic shear strength is a measure of the firmness and durability of an adhesive bond under constant shear stress.

The dynamic shear strength test used in the present invention is a modification of the ASTM method code-named AD882-83, which can be used as a reference herein. The adhesive surface of a strip tab with a width of 10 mm is applied to the adhesive surface of the joint and the wrapper film with a bonded length of 10 mm. Pressure was applied to the ribbon tab using a roller weighing 1,334 grams (2.5 pounds) running at a constant speed of 25.4 millimeters per second (1 inch per second). The longitudinal direction of the sample is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the envelope film. The apparatus used to determine the dynamic shear strength can be any commercially available tensile testing machine with a constant rate of grip separation. The EME Portable Tensile Tester Model 570 sold by EME Inc. of Newbury, Ohio is particularly useful. Light Duty Clamping is also available following ASTM methods adopted by EME Ltd. The initial clamping distance is fixed at 50.8 mm. The speed during the test was fixed at 508 mm/min. The force that causes the adhesive bond to fail (ie, the tape separates from the joint) is measured. The adhesive fastening device of the present invention for use on sanitary napkin wrappers preferably has a dynamic shear strength of greater than about 900 g/cm, preferably greater than about 1000 g/cm.

Providing the engagement surface (or "attachment surface") during manufacture of the releasable sleeve 34 will maximize the attachment, detachment and refastenability of the strap tabs 55 . In order for an adhesive to bond strongly to a joint and maintain a good bond strength, the joining surfaces must accept the adhesive under low pressure. In general, "smooth" joining surfaces enhance the strength of the bond because the adhesive "wets out" the surface more. Embossed joining surfaces are considered more aesthetically pleasing due to their matte appearance, however, since the entire area cannot be completely wetted by the adhesive, bond strength is sacrificed. However, it is possible to find an optimum surface roughness of the mating surfaces of the joint and the envelope that is both adequate for dynamic shear strength and aesthetically pleasing.

The engaging surface of the releasable wrapper 34 preferably has certain surface characteristics that are believed to enhance the adhesive security of the adhesive fastening device 24 . In general, cohesive surfaces do not have a regular structure, but instead contain many deviations, which are grouped into shape, waviness, and roughness. Among various parameters, roughness, average leveling depth, Rpm [ISO/DIS 4287/IE or DIN4767] are the parameters most related to the firmness of the bond. The average leveling depth is the average value of 5 leveling depths of 5 sequentially arranged sample lengths (1/5 of the measured length). The leveling depth is the maximum depth measured from the mean line (deviation from the mean line). For a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the average leveling depth, Rpm, is between about 2 microns and 20 microns, preferably between about 2 microns and 10 microns, and most preferably between about 3 microns and 8 microns. between microns. Surface roughness (including average leveling depth) was measured using a Perthometer S6P profilometer unit sold by Feinpruef of Blue Ash, Ohio. The Perthometer S6P works with a cut-off length of 2.5 mm (measurement length 12.5 mm) and uses a high precision T9 FocoDyn laser probe which does not touch the surface like a diamond-like probe.

According to the present invention, the engaging member 54 having the above-mentioned standard surface characteristics is preferably a thermoplastic film, more suitably an envelope film 34, which can be embossed with a textured pattern or a random pattern so that they have a textured surface roughness. Spend. Typically, thermoplastic film is textured by passing the film through a nip between a steel roll and a rubber roll. Steel rolls are engraved with patterns such as squares, circles, random shapes or other shapes considered particularly suitable for thermoplastic films. The two rollers press against each other as the thermoplastic film is drawn into the nip between the two rollers. The depth of the grain is determined by the pattern on the steel roll. According to different thermoplastic film materials, processing steps such as preheating thermoplastic film and cooling after embossing can be added. The mating surface of the envelope film is usually embossed with a textured surface using a steel roll. More detailed texture processing techniques and equipment can be found in US Patents 4,436,520, 4,595,021, 4,546,029, 4,376,147 or International Patent WO88/07336. According to the present invention, however, the texture on the thermoplastic film can be processed in a manner similar to that described above, such as with a steel roll and a rubber roll engraved with a pattern. In this case, the surface of the material embossed with the rubber roller can be used as the bonding surface of the joining member. The steel roll preferably has an engraved surface. The texture of the bonding surface of the envelope film was embossed with a rubber roller.

The joining surface is chosen so that its Young's modulus is closer to the modulus of elasticity of the strap tab 55 . Ribbon tabs generally have a relatively high Young's modulus, between approximately 175 N/mm ² and 310 N/mm ² . Accordingly, the Young's modulus of the selected envelope should be at least about 175 N/mm ² , preferably greater than about 200 N/mm ² , more preferably greater than about 200 N/mm ² , most preferably greater than about 225 N/mm 2 ² , so the Young's modulus of the envelope can be more matched with the Young's modulus of the strip joint 55. Young's modulus is the modulus of elasticity (ie, material constant) of a material, which expresses the elastic properties of the material under stress. The higher the Young's modulus, the less the material will elongate for a given force applied to the material. In other words, a material with a higher Young's modulus can withstand higher stresses at the same elongation than a material with a lower Young's modulus. While not wishing to be bound by theory here, it is believed that by using materials with a higher Young's modulus (greater than about 175 N/mm ² ) to reduce the amount of elongation of the joint surface under stress, the gap between the bonded and joined surfaces can be improved. Provides a more stable adhesive contact surface between. On the other hand, it is believed that if the Young's modulus of the joint is lower than about 175 N/mm ² , the joint will be more prone to elongation under stress, thus causing the viscous interface between the strap tab and the envelope to change with time. Deformed with the envelope. This elongation must be compensated by the adhesive of the tape tab along the adhesive surface. It is also believed that the internal compensation of the adhesive can reduce the bond strength and lead to debonding (i.e. failure of the cohesive fastening device)

The Young's modulus specified in the present invention is measured according to the ASTM method code-named D882-83 with some improvements. Please refer to relevant documents for this method. (It should be noted that the difference between the Young's modulus specified in this test procedure and the elastic modulus used or measured and disclosed in the prior art. Previously disclosed elastic moduli, including those mentioned in the patent literature It is much lower than the Young's modulus required by the present invention, which is due to the lower limit of the former elastic modulus for the engaging surface of the fastening device.) Especially when measuring the elastic modulus by the ASTM method, it needs to be dealt with ASTM method code D882-83 titled "Constant-rate clamping separation rate" with minor modifications. In the following description, a brief description is given of the specific modifications required for the measurement of Young's modulus according to the present invention. The test sample for determining Young's modulus was 25 mm wide and 200 mm long. The length direction of the sample is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the envelope. Specimens are measured along their length and conditioned according to ASTM methods. The apparatus used to determine Young's modulus can be any commercially available tensile testing machine with a constant rate of separation of the grips. A machine such as the Instron 4201 sold by Instron Engineering Company of Canton, Massachusetts is particularly suitable. Instroy machines can provide clamping according to ASTM methods. The initial clamping distance was set at 50.8 mm. The test speed is fixed at 508 mm/min. The specification of other test procedures and the calculation of elastic modulus are carried out according to the ASTM method.

The fast-bonding properties of the adhesive are also important in providing initial bond strength and, to a lesser extent, refastenability of the fastening device. The fast-bonding property of an adhesive measures the ability of an adhesive to wet a surface and form a strong bond under low pressure. The snap-bond capability of the adhesive should be high enough to provide good bond strength and high dynamic shear strength, but not so high that it exceeds the durability of the mating surfaces to ensure good refastenability . The adhesives of the present invention preferably have a snap-bond performance of greater than about 35 g/cm. The quick adhesion test is carried out by placing a tape with a width of 25.4 mm on the joint surface, and then using 90. The direction of the corner is removed. Thus, this test is a variation of PSTC method No. 5 using the bonding surface as the substrate and applying a pressure of 17.1 g/ ^cm2 .

The improved bond security and refastenability of adhesive fastening systems eliminates the need for reinforced engaging surfaces and minimizes the use of materials. Every adhesive is different as to the optimal adhesive coat weight that provides the best balance between bond strength and refastenability. Higher coat weights generally provide stronger adhesion with minimal pressure, while lower coat weights generally reduce the likelihood of tearing the mating surfaces. However, it has been found that the optimum coat weight of the preferred adhesive for the adhesive fastening means of the present invention for wrapping individual absorbent articles is preferably less than about 22 g/ ^m2 . A preferred coat weight is between about 14 g/ ^m2 and 18 g/ ^m2 , and an optimal coat weight is between about 15 g/ ^m2 and 16 g/ ^m2 . The envelope 34 also does not have to be reinforced and can have a lower calculated thickness to reduce material costs. The calculated centimeter thickness is between about 0.020 mm (0.8 mil) and 0.036 mm (1.4 mil), preferably with a thickness of 0.025 mm (1 mil).

The ability to remove the tape tab without tearing the engaging surfaces (ie, refastenability) can be measured in the laboratory and by the user's hand. In laboratory testing, the tape is applied as firmly as possible to the joint and then the frequency at which the tape is removed from the joint in a realistic manner is measured. To make the tape stick as firmly as possible, apply the tape to the joint surface and heat it to 37.8°C (100°F) for 30 minutes or longer. They were then rolled under 2.2 kg rollers and left at 37.8°C (100°F) for 30 minutes. After cooling to room temperature for at least 30 minutes, the tape tab is quickly pulled off and removed in a typical user fashion. Any tear to the joint is considered a failure. This test uses the worst conditions and is 6 times higher than the average tearing time of joints in actual use. For the adhesive fastening devices of the present invention, the refastenability should be greater than about 90%, more preferably greater than about 95%, and most preferably greater than about 98%, as determined by the most stringent laboratory test described above.

The adhesive fastening devices described herein can also be applied to other types of packaging. For example, any of the embodiments described herein could be used in a package similar to that described in the Mclaughlin patent, and sanitary napkins with conventional release paper could be folded and inserted into such a package.

The releasable wrapper 34 (shown in FIGS. 5-7 ) may also include a second flap (or "disposal flap", "disposal pocket" or "pouch") 53 to aid in the disposal of the sanitary napkin 20 . (The first flap is the aforementioned wrapper flap consisting of the outer-outboard three-section 52b, which is used to close a single wrapper.) A suitable disposal flap is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,556,146 issued to Swanson et al. ( or bags), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The disposal flap 53 may take the form of a releasable wrapper 34 that wraps the longitudinal sides of the sanitary napkin in a CG fold (as shown in the drawings). In alternative embodiments, the flap 53 may be provided with a detachable envelope 34 that covers only one major surface of the sanitary napkin 20 (ie, does not enclose the longitudinal sides of the sanitary napkin). In other alternative embodiments, the flaps (and/or other features described in the Swanson et al. patent or described herein) may be employed not to enclose the longitudinal sides of the sanitary napkin and/or only around a single transverse axis. Folded separable envelope 34 .

There are many possible positions on the separable envelope 34 for such a handling flap 53 . The handling flap 53 may be located on one of the surfaces of the envelope, either the inwardly facing surface or the outwardly facing surface of the envelope 34 . The handling flap 53 may generally be located at one end of the envelope 34 . Accordingly, the handling flap 53 may be located on one or more surfaces at the ends of the inner-outer three-section 52a or the end of the outer-outer three-section 52b.

Three preferred positions for the handling flap 53 are shown in FIGS. 5-7. These three positions are indicated by reference numerals 53a, 53b and 53c, respectively. The handling flap, referenced 53a in Figure 5, is located at the end of the inner, outer three-section 52a. On the outwardly facing surface of the envelope 34 is a handling flap 53a. The handling flap, referenced 53b in Figure 6, is located on the inwardly facing surface of the same three segments. A flap, designated 53c in FIG. 7, is located on the inwardly facing surface of the outer, outer three-section 52b. The location of the disposal flap 53 can be selected (as described below) to provide more options for packaging used sanitary napkins for disposal.

The sanitary napkin 20 can be treated in at least three different ways. The user can roll up the used sanitary napkin 20 and insert it into the disposal bag (ie, under the disposal flap 53). The detachable wrapper 34 left after the sanitary napkin has been used can then be folded, rolled, wrapped, etc. about the disposal bag 53 containing the sanitary napkin 20 . If there is no ribbon tab 55 on the separable wrapper 34, the strap tab 55 can be used in this case to secure the separable wrapper which remains folded or rolled in shape. Alternatively, the sanitary napkin may be folded or rolled and placed at the end of the separable wrapper 34 opposite the end containing the disposal flap. The sanitary napkin can then be wrapped in the wrapper 34 . The handling flap 53 is then pulled through the rolled portion of the detachable wrapper 34 to secure the package in the rolled state. Additionally, if the previously selected flap 53 is located on the opposite side of the separable wrapper with the sanitary napkin placed thereon or rolled within it, the disposal flap 53 can be turned inside out and pulled through the rolled sanitary napkin 20 to Secure the packaging.

The alternative location of the disposal flap, designated 53b, is a preferred embodiment because it allows the sanitary napkin 20 to be disposed of in all three alternatives. If the user chooses to place the sanitary napkin under the disposal flap 53 and is willing to roll the sanitary napkin 20, and then use the adhesive tab 55 to fasten the curled napkin, the other two of the disposal flap 53 will be closed. Location is not applicable.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other changes are also possible and within the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the previous embodiments may be combined and other means of maintaining the sanitary napkin 20 in the folded condition may be employed. In addition, other asymmetrical arrangements and adjustments in the relative sizes of the sanitary napkin 20 and releasable wrapper 34 can be used so that the desired package size can be produced. All these changes are within the scope of the present invention.

While a preferred sanitary napkin embodiment of the present invention has been described, many other sanitary napkin embodiments may be provided with the fastening means and cover of the present invention. U.S. Patent Application No. 07/707,233 (inventor Osborn et al.) filed on May 21, 1991, entitled "Sanitary Napkin with Laterally Extensible Parts Secured to Wearer's Undergarment"; issued to Osborn, Application U.S. Patents US5,009,653 and US4,950,264, dated April 23, 1991 and August 21, 1990, respectively; the application date issued to Osborn III and others was April 17, 1990, and the title of the invention is "has a flap and U.S. Patent No. 4,917,697 issued to Van Tilburg, filed August 18, 1987, U.S. Patent No. 4,687,478 entitled "Shaped Sanitary Napkin with Flaps"; issued to Van Tilburg , US Patent 4,589,876, filed May 20, 1986, entitled "Sanitary Napkins"; and US Patent 4,285,343, filed August 25, 1981, to McNair, entitled "Sanitary Napkins" etc. disclose certain such sanitary napkins.

US Pat. No. 4,738,676, issued April 19, 1988 to Osborn and entitled"Panty Liners", discloses a suitable absorbent article in the form of a panty liner. Certain adult incontinence products are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 07/637,571, filed January 3, 1991, by Barry R. Feist et al. Applicable absorbent articles of the form.

The disclosures of all patents, patent applications (any patent mentioned herein as well as any published equivalent foreign patent applications), and publications mentioned throughout this patent application are hereby incorporated by reference. However, the present invention is in no way to be considered to have been taught or inspired by any document cited by reference, nor is any commercially available product to have taught or suggested the present invention.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

1. the absorbent article of an individual packaging is characterized in that comprising:

One has a fit side, an absorbent article that pastes clothing side, two vertical sides and two transverse sides, toughness sticking patch on the described subsides clothing side of described absorbent article;

Separable big envelope on adhesive patch that is bonded at described subsides clothing side separably, described big envelope is folded up around two lateral shafts at least, to constitute a package body and a pack flap;

An adhesive tape buckling clamping part is used for described pack flap is fastened to described package body, and described adhesive tape buckling clamping part comprises

A) tape tab, have one and be connected first (55a) on the described pack flap and one second portion (55b) of fastening on described package body separably, described second portion (55b) comprises a fastening surface with binding agent (54);

B) composition surface on described package body, the fastening surface of described tape tab is bonded on this composition surface, and described package body comprises the thin film of one deck nominal average thickness between 0.020mm and 0.036mm at described composition surface place;

The power shearing strength of wherein said adhesive tape buckling clamping part is greater than 900g/cm.

2. according to the absorbent article of claim 1, it is characterized in that described composition surface has the surface roughness of the average leveling degree of depth between 2 microns to 10 microns.

3. according to the absorbent article of claim 1, the Young's modulus that it is characterized in that described composition surface is greater than 175N/mm ²

4. according to the absorbent article of claim 1, the quick-binding value that it is characterized in that described binding agent is greater than 35g/cm.

5. according to the absorbent article of claim 1, the coat weight that it is characterized in that described binding agent is less than 22g/m ²

6. according to the absorbent article of one of claim 1-5, it is characterized in that this absorbent article is the short underpants that a kind of adult-incontinence is used.

7. according to the absorbent article of one of claim 1-5, it is characterized in that this absorbent article is a kind of sanitary towel.

8. according to the absorbent article of one of claim 1-5, it is characterized in that the part that described at least pack flap is connected with this first (55a) is through Corona discharge Treatment.

9. according to the absorbent article of one of claim 1-5, it is characterized in that separable big envelope is the flexible polyethylene thin film.

10. according to the absorbent article of one of claim 1-5, it is characterized in that absorbent article and separable big envelope are folding around the transverse crease lines that separates.

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